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News > Latin America

Venezuela: Electoral Council Confirms Election Dates, Plans

  • In 2017 Venezuelans participated in three electoral processes.

    In 2017 Venezuelans participated in three electoral processes. | Photo: Reuters

Published 14 February 2018
Opinion

Venezuela's National Electoral Council highlights 15 audits have been planned to guarantee the process' transparency.   

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) has confirmed the date for the next presidential elections will be April 22 and provided details on the dates for voter and candidate registration. The announcement was made by Sandra Oblitas, CNE's Vice-president, who added that 531 locations would be open throughout the country for voters to register and to change where they vote.

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Venezuelans will have until Feb. 20 to register to vote in the presidential elections.

"The Preliminary Electoral Registry will be published on Feb. 25. The period for the admission and resolution of challenges to this registry will be between Feb. 25 - 27. At the same time, on Feb. 26 the audit to the Electoral Registry will be conducted," president of the CNE Tania D' Amelio explained via Twitter.  

Oblitas confirmed there would be 15 audits on the Venezuelan voting system to ensure its transparency, and witnesses from all parties participating in the elections will be allowed in voting centers.

People who wish to be candidates for the upcoming elections will have to register online between Feb. 24 - 26, and their position on the ballot will be confirmed on March 5.  

These announcements were made on Wednesday after reiterated attacks by United States Officials, the Washington-based Organization of American States and U.S.-Latin American allies gathered in the Grupo Lima (Lima Group), which has recently announced Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will not be welcomed at April's Summit of the Americas.

The threats issued by members of these sectors range from further diplomatic isolation, as in the case of the Lima Group, to a military coup and an oil embargo proposed by the U.S.

D’ Amelio praised the “efficacy and efficiency of the CNE workers, their commitment to service, and the knowledge and experience gained throughout these years of frequent electoral processes,” which serve as a guarantee for the electoral results.

In 2017, Venezuelans went to the polls three times, once to elect the representatives of the National Constituent Assembly, summoned after the right-wing controlled National Assembly promoted protests that resulted in the killing of more than a hundred Venezuelans and vast economic losses for the state.

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